Warning! Books can be dangerous! The best ones should be labeled: “This could change your life.”
I believe that reading self development, psychology, motivational and success biography books will positively impact your poker mindset and performance at the tables. The good news is that books are so cheap and easy to acquire and the information in them is extremely valuable.
The reason why I started The Poker Mindset was that through the last few years I managed to read over 100 books and decided to use my knowledge on the topic to help poker players reach their full potential. What I learned is that application and action are the most important aspects of reading self development books. In most of them, there are exercises or thoughtful open-ended questions, that will help you implement what you read about. You will only experience growth when you apply what you learn.
I have read all the books described in this article and all of them made my life and my mindset better in some way. Here are the life-changing books that will improve your poker mindset:
1. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges. Before you can adopt the seven habits, you’ll need to accomplish what Covey calls a “paradigm shift”–a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your “proactive muscles” (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more.
This isn’t a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you’ll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you’ll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you’ll feel like you’ve taken a powerful seminar by Covey.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey
“But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.” – Stephen Covey
2. The One Thing by Gary Keller
You want fewer distractions and less on your plate. The daily barrage of e-mails, texts, tweets, messages, and calls distract you and stress you out. The simultaneous demands of work and family are taking a toll. And what’s the cost? Failure to achieve your poker goals, less hours played, lower income, bad decisions, weak performance and lots of stress.
You want more productivity in your poker career. More income for a better lifestyle. You want more satisfaction from life, and more time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Now you can have both, less and more.
In The One Thing, you’ll learn to:
- Cut through the clutter
- Achieve better results in less time
- Build momentum toward your goal
- Dial down the stress
- Overcome that overwhelmed feeling
- Revive your energy
- Stay on track
- Master what matters to you
The One Thing is the New York Times bestseller which delivers extraordinary results in every area of your life-work, personal, family, and spiritual. Remember, in a world of distraction single-tasking is a superpower.
3. The Mental Game of Poker: Proven Strategies for Improving Tilt Control, Confidence, Motivation, Coping with Variance, and More by Jared Tendler
In my opinion this is probably the best poker book out there. Reading it can take your game to the next level, especially if you are having problems with tilting, getting angry and dealing with variance.
The mental game may be more important in poker than in any other form of competition. It’s one of the only games in the world where you can play perfectly and lose—again and again. Hundreds of poker players have turned to mental game coach Jared Tendler’s revolutionary approach to help them play their best, no matter how badly they’re running. In this book you’ll find simple, step-by-step instructions and proven techniques to permanently fix problems such as tilt, handling variance, emotional control, confidence, fear, and motivation. With the games getting tougher, now is the time to take these problems head on.
Get this book! Read it, study it, take notes in your poker journal, do the exercises from the book and it’s guaranteed that your poker mindset will improve.
“I really like The Mental Game Of Poker by Jared Tendler. It’s an incredible book because it talks about the psychological aspect of poker in a beautiful manner. Even in 20 years, this book will be relevant to the game of poker.” Lex Veldhuis
4. The Mental Game of Poker 2: Proven Strategies for Improving Poker Skill, Increasing Mental Endurance, and Playing in the Zone Consistently by Jared Tendler
I think this is a must read book for any poker player, who wants to become successful at this game. It is useful, practical and easy to read. This book will give you insights that can truly take your game to the next level. If you are playing poker and have been stuck at the same level for a while or want to read a book that can help you dramatically improve your game then this book is for you.
In The Mental Game of Poker 2, author and renowned poker mental game coach Jared Tendler breaks down the zone and delivers actionable steps to help players get there consistently. He demystifies the zone, and for the first time, brings logic and order to this previously misunderstood concept. This book provides proven strategies to:
- Play poker longer and across more online tables
- Improve decision making
- Learn faster
- Eliminate C-game mistakes
- Increase focus and discipline
The Mental Game of Poker 2 expands on the psychological strategies and theories from Tendler’s groundbreaking book, The Mental Game of Poker, which cracked the code on managing tilt and has helped thousands of players eliminate mental leaks from their games. Like the first book, The Mental Game of Poker 2 is a must have resource for every poker player who is serious about improving.
5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This one is a fiction book. It’s my favorite literature book, easy to read, simple, short and incredibly inspirational. The Alchemist is an enchanting fable that follows the adventurous journey of a shepherd boy while playing on the notion that when you want something in life, the universe will conspire to help you reach it.
On a deeper level it’s all about our life journey, following our heart and believing in our dreams. It’s filled with many powerful lessons, here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
“There is only one way to learn. It’s through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.”
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
Reading books is an effective way to improve yourself and grow. Poker players should include the habit of reading in their daily routines, as it helps them level up their mental game, make better decisions, overcome obstacles and be more successful.
Note: If you missed the first part of the article, click here!